1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electromagnetic relay.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is known in the art to produce an electromagnetic relay of a type appropriate for an electric voltage or current applied to an electric circuit (hereinafter referred to as a load circuit) to be opened or closed by the relay, by changing, on a type-by-type basis, a shape, dimension, etc., of a contact and/or a contact terminal, as an essential component of the electromagnetic relay, and thereby appropriately adjusting a maximum spacing (hereinafter referred to as a contact gap) defined between mutually opposing contacts when the contacts open.
For example, an electromagnetic relay for opening or closing a high voltage circuit may be produced by enlarging a contact gap so as to suppress an arc discharge occurring between mutually opposing contacts when the circuit is opened. In some conventional high-voltage relays, in order to ensure a reliable opening or closing operation of a movable contact even with an enlarged contact gap, a design strategy to increase power consumption of a coil may be employed. As the power consumption of a coil increases, amount of heat generation of the electromagnetic relay may increase accordingly.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2011-081961 (JP2011-081961A) describes an electromagnetic relay capable of suppressing heat generation.
It is preferred to address changes in an electric voltage or current applied to a load circuit while ensuring a stable opening and closing operation of a contact in an electromagnetic relay, by way of minimum design change to the components of the electromagnetic relay and/or of the load circuit to be opened or closed by the electromagnetic relay.